Circular-knitting machine



4 Sheets- Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

H. S. LONG. CIRCULAR KNITTINC MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 26, 1890.

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(No Model.) 4 ShQets-Sheet l2.

, H. S. LONG.

CIRCULAR KNII'TING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 26, 1890.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

H. S. LONG. CIRCULAR KNITTINC MACHINE.

1\0.435,378.` Patented Aug.26,1890.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

H. S. LONG. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

No. 435,378. Patented Aug. 26, 1890.

INEVENTOR:

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UNITED STATES HENRY S. LONG, OF PHILADELPHIA,` PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,378, dated August 2e, 1890.

Application tiled December 17, 1888. Serial No. 293,800. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, HENRY S. LONG,a citizen of Philadelphia, residing at SZOIS Coral street, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circular-Knitting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to circular-knitting machines, and in particular to devices which are employed in such machines to facilitate the operation of forming the heel and toe pockets, pouches, or bulges of the foot-web of a stocking. Asis well known, it is customary in knitting the foot-web of a stocking on a circular-knitting machine on` arriving at the point proper for beginning the formation of a heel or toe pocket or bulge iirst to raise into inoperative position a number of needles on one side of the machine, usually about one-half the number in operation, the said needles retaining their loops t-hereon. The cam-cylinder is then reciprocated, and at each movement thereof one of the end needles of the series in operation is raised into inoperative position, it retaining its loop, thereby gradually narrowing the portion of the web After narrowing to the desired extent and producing a tapering piece of knit web, the marginal stitches of which still remain upon their needles, the needles last raised out of action are successively restored to operative position as thecam-cylinder is reciprocated from side to side, thereby forming a second portion of web, which gradually widens, such portion being joined at its edges to the edges of the narrowed portion first formed, and these two port-ions form the pocket, pouch, or bulge. After the widening has proceeded until all the needles of the half which were left in action have been restored to operative position,the other half of the needles, which were raised at the beginning of the knitting of the heel, are thrown down into position for knitting again, and circular knitting is proceeded with-to form either the foot or the leg portion of the stocking, as the case may be.

My invention consists, mainly, in improved devices for picking or successively throwing certain of the needles of a circular-knitting machine first out of position for engagement with the needle -actuating cams and then back into proper position for engagement with the said'cams, in order first to narrow and then to widen again the web to be knitted, as is necessary in the production of seamless heel and toe pouches or bulges of stockings. For the purpose of thus picking the needles in order to eifect the narrowing and widening, I employ certain needle-picking slides ldisposed and operating, as will hereinafter be made to appear, whereby during the reciprocating movements of the camcylinder in doing heel and toe work needles at opposite ends alternately of the set of needles used for forming the heel or toe web are engaged and raised successively into inoperative position until the requisite narrowing has been effected, and thereafter the needles thus raised and thrown out of action are engaged and depressed successively into operative position again until the requisite widening has been effected. The slides referred to may be either single-actin g or doubleacting. The single-acting slides serve only to-raise a needle from its operative position to an inoperative position, while the doubleacting slides are made capable of either thus raising a needle or of depressing a needle which has been raised and restoring it again to operative position.

My invention comprises also a needle-elevating slide or cam placed upon the interior of the cam-cylinder adjacent to one of the picking-slides and normally standing in a depressed position below the path of the heels or hubs of the needles, but capable of being raised intoA the path thereof. WVhen thus raised, the elevating slide or cam bridges the space between the horizontal ledge on the cam-cylinder and the adjacent picking-slide, which at this time is in a raised position and entirely above the ledge, and when the camcylinder is turned the slide or Acam guides the heels or hubs of the needles from the said ledge or inactive level onto the upper surface of the picking-slide,wl1ich latter in turn acts like a cam to guide the said heels or hubs upward until they pass above the tops of the needle-actuating cams or to the inoperative level.

My invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and then the particular features will be pointed out in the claims at the close of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure l is an isometric view, taken from the front, of the supportingbed and cam-cylinder of a circular-knitting machine, showing sin gle-actin g pickin g-slides constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention applied to the cam-cylinder. Fig. 2 is a sectional view from the inside of a portion of the cam-cylinder of Fig. 1, showing part of the needle-actuating cams, one of the needle-elevating picking-slides, and the elevating or bridging cam for raising the rear half of the needles on Vthe knitting-machine into Vinoperative position, a part of the cam-cylinder being broken away in this figure to show the recess formed in the horizontal ledge for the reception of the lower end of the needle-elevating pickingslide. Fig. 3 is a side view` of a part of the machine-bed and a part of the cam-cylinder, showing also the top of the needle-cylinder within the cam-cylinder and a number of needles, some of which latter are in raised or inoperative position, while others are in the depressed 0r operative position. Fig. 4 is a sectional view, from the inside, of a portion of the cam-cylinder, showing single-acting picking-slides for depressing the needles from their inoperative position to their operative position. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing aportion of the cam-cylinder, a picking-slide, and part of its connections. Fig. 6 is a View of the needle elevating ,or bridging cam, showing a friction spring and nut, which may be employedin connection therewith, if desired. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing part of the devices used for actuating a singleacting picking-slide. Fig. 8 is a side view with the machine-bed in section, showing the single-acting picking-slides for elevating the needles successively into inoperative position. Fig. 9 is a similar view showing double-acting picking-slides and their tappets for both elevating the needles and depressing them. Fig. 10 is an inside view of the cam-cylinder, showing double-acting picking-slides. Figs. 11, 12, and 13 are detail views of the stops, hereinafter described. Fig. 14 is a view of a portion of the cam-cylinder from the inside, showing the needle elevating or bridging cam. Fig. 15 shows views of the slide-operating arm of the double-acting system.

A is the cam carrieror cylinder.

9 is the needle-cylinder.

l0 is a gear mounted ou driving-shaft'l2 and engaging the toothed rin113, formed on the cam-cylinder to rotate the same as usual.

l and 2 are wing-cams pivoted to the inthe needle-cylinder of terior of the cam-cylinder on opposite sides of the raising-cam 3 and beneath the top cam 4, as usual.

5 is the thread-guide.

S is the horizontal ledge around the interior of the cam-cylinder on which the needles rest when in position for operation and when not in engagement with the cams, this ledge being termed the inactive level, and V are the.needles.

Through the cam-cylinder on opposite' sides ot' the knitting-cams and adjacent thereto are formed diagonal or inclined slots C C- one on each side of 'the cams-which diverge downwardly from the cams. In each of these slots is placed a narrowing needle-picking slide B, projecting on both the inside and the outside of the cylinder.' PinsI I, carried by the said narrowing-slides rest against the interiorsurface of the cylinder, while through the portion of each narrowing-slide extending to the outside of the cylinder passes an arm T. Each arm 'l is made fast to a tappetblock E, pivoted upon a pin or screw G, entering the cam-cylinder and pending tappet H. When the tappet-blocks are narrow, as shown, itis advisable to apply spiral springs F F to the stems of the pins G G between the heads thereof and the said tappet-blocks in order to render the movements of the latter steady. Springs D D, fastened to the exterior of the cam-cylinder adjacent to the slots C C and parallel to the same, bear outwardly against the arms T T, and thus tend to draw the narrowing pickingslides B B radially u.outward through the cam-cylinder and serve to hold the pins I I pressed against the interior surface of the cam-cylinder. NotchesJ .I are formed in the interior surfaceof the cam-cylinder adjacent to the slots C C, for the purpose of receiving the pins I I when the narrowing-slides have been moved upward by the needles,.as hereinafter 4will be described, and thus permitting the springs D D to draw the slides slightly outward in a radial direction. be seen that, as shown in Figs. 2 and 8, the arms T T diverge at their upper ends, and that the tappet-arms H Hare affixed tothe outer sides of the tappet-blocks and converge at their lower ends.

The lower ends of the narrowing-slides B B enter, when the slides are depressed, recesses K, formed in the` portion of the ledge S next to the inner ,wall of the highest part of the cam-cylinder, one of said recesses being shown very clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings, a narrow web being left at the side of each recess to ,form a continuation of the ledge-surface. The purpose of these recesses is to permit the lower ends of the narrowingv slides to pass below the level of the ledge S,

and thus insure that the needle which is at the end of the series in operation, and which is to be raised into inoperative position, shall properly pass onto the lower end of the adjacent narrowing-slide when in the rotation of carrying a de- IOO IIO

It will Y the cam-cylinder the said narrowing-slide 'is' carried against the said needle.

The tappets H H are intended to engage stops R R, mounted upon the machine-bed 8 as the cam-cylinder is reciprocated during the knitting of a heel or toe pocket or bulge.

Each of these stops is pivoted in a slot in the head of a pin R, the said pin being fitted to a socket R2 in the bed or frame with capacity to turn, the stem of the said pin being surrounded by a light spiral spring R2, one end of the said spring being engaged with the interior of the socket and the other being connected with the head of the pin, so as to tend to maintain the offset portion o thereof in contact with the pin r2 on the socket. In Fig. l I have shown the cam-cylinder formed in the portion thereof opposite to the threadguide and cams l -2 8 4 `with upwardly-diverging diagonalor inclined slots C2 C2, in which are placed widening-slides B2 B2, similar in construction to the narrowing-slides B B, and provided with pins I2, bearing against the interior surface of the cam-cylinder, the latter being provided with notches J2 J2 for their reception. Through the slides B2 B2, outside the cam-cylinder, pass arms. T2 T2, carried by tappet-blocks E2 E2, provided with tappets H2 H2, placed upon the outer faces thereof, the said blocks being mounted upon pins G2 G2, having springs F2 F2 placed thereon between the heads thereof` and the said blocks. The tappets H2 H2 co-operate with a stop R4, hinged to the top of a pin Q, fitted to a socket in the machine bed or frame, said stop rising to a somewhat greater height than the stopsR R. It is observed that all of the tappets are made yielding in one direction by being hinged or jointed.

I have so far described an embodiment of my. invention having singleacting slides. The operation thereof is as follows: When it is not desired to have the picking-slides act upon the heels or hubs of the needles to move the needles out of or into operative position, the stops R and R4 are thrown outward, so that they will not engage with the tappets H H2, and the picking-slides remain in an idle position with their pins restingin the notches in the interior surface of the cam-cylinder. The stops are thus disposed when plain circular knitting is being effected. Should it be desired to begin the formation of a heel or toe pouch, the needles on the rear half of the needle-cylinder are raised, and sufficient movement is given to the cam-cylinder to carry the knitting-cams and picking-slides B Bin a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the hands of a Watch around to the rear side of the needle-cylinder. The slides nowV are in position to engage properly when the cam-cylinder now is moved in either direction, with the first needle on either end of the series left in operative position. The first movement given to the cam-cylinder usually is in the direction of movement of the hands of a watch. The stops R R now are thrown over into position to engage with the tappets H H and the cam-cylinder reciprocated a full revolution firstin one directionsay, in that corresponding with the direction of rotation of the hands of a watch-and then in the other. As the cam-cylinder moves with the hands of a watch, the tappet of the leading slide B strikes the stop shown at the right in Fig. l, and the right-hand narrowingslide is thereby depressed into the position shown at the left in Fig. l, its pins passing out of the notchesJ J and onto the interior surface of the cam-cylinder, this moving the slide slightly inward radially. Now, in the continued movement of the cam-cylinder in this direction, the end of the leading slide B is carried beneath the heel or hub of the first needle of the series of needles remaining in depressed and operative position, the heels or hubs of such needles standing just above or in contact with the ledge S of the cam-cylinder. the end of the picking-slide passing under it, but soon strikes against the pinI at the lower end of the picking-slide, the said pin being utilized as a projection or obstructing catch portion to engage the needle heelor hub with the slide. The engagement of the heel or hub of theneedle with the pin I causes the slide to be held from farther onward movement with the cam-cylinder, and it now passes upward in the slot C ofthe cam-cylinder, the engaged needle moving upward with it, the

rest of the needle-heels passing beneath the slides and being engaged by the knitting-cams in the usual manner. As the cam-cylinder continues to move, the slide passes upward until its pins I I reach the notches .J J, when the spring D at once acts to draw the slide radially outward, removing the lower pin Ifrom in front of the needle heel or hub, and leaving the slide free to pass the needle-heel, which glides along the upper side of slide B, as along an inclined cam, until it passes off the same and above the idle-rest A of the top cam,or high enough to strike against the beveled ends of The'irst yneedle is slightly raised by IOO IIO

said top cam,bywhich it is deflected upward until it passes upon theidle-rest, after which it remains in the inoperative position. The tappet of the second or following pickingslide gives or bends on its hinge so as to pass the stop referred to without obstruction. As the cam-cylinder continues on toward the completion of its revolution, the tappet H of the leading picking-slide B comes in contact with the stop R shown at the rear at the lefthand side in Fig. l, (this being the stop at the right hand in Fig. 8;) but the pin R supporting this stop is free to turn in the direction in which the cam-cylinder is now moving, so that the position of the leading picking-slide remains unchanged. The tappetarm of the second or following elevating picking-slide B also passes the said stop in the same manner. When the movement of the cam-cylinder now is reversed and the tappet of the second slide B, which now leads, strikes the left-hand -rear stop in Fig. 1, (the righthand stop'viewing the machine as in Fig. 8,) the latter acts rigidly against the tappet to cause the now leading slide to be depressed into position for engagement with the needle at the corresponding end of the operative series, this needle now being thrown into inoperative position. The tappet of the picking-slide, which now follows, gives or bends on its hinge or joint as it strikes the said stop. The action of the parts as the cam-cylinder approached the end of its first stroke in one direction and began its return stroke is repeated at the end of this return stroke and the beginning of the next stroke in the first direction, and so on until the requisite narrowing has been effected, when the needle-elevating or narrowing picking-slides are thrown out of operation by simply turning outward the pivoted stops RR. In order to eect the widening the pivoted stop R4 is turned over into position to engage the tappets IP H2 of the widening picking-slides B2 B2 as they pass. These tappets IPH2 do not extend low enough to engage with the stops R R when thelatter are in position to engage the tappets H, and accordingly the stop R4 stands somewhat higher than stops R R. Now, as the cam-CyL' inder moves-say, with the hands of a watchboth the widening picking-slides, which are now in the idle position shown in Fig. et, pass over the heels or hubs of the needles in operative position, and their upper ends are below the heels or hubs of the needles which have been raised to inoperative position. When the tappetof theleading widening-slide strikes the stop R4, the said slide is thrown upward until its upper end projects into the line of the heels or hubs of the elevated needles.V It now engages the heel of the first elevated needle at the letthand side of the machine in Fig. l and depresses-the same into position for being caused to knit as the cams and thread-guide pass the same. The action of a widening picking-slide in depressing a needle is similar to that of a narrowing picking-slide in elevating a needle-that is to say, the needle heel or hub is struck by the under side ofthe upper end of the slide and becomes engaged with a pin I2, projecting from the said under side. The slide now is held from farther advance with the cam-cylinder as the latter moves on and is depressed in the slot C until the pins I2 reach the notches .12.12, whereupon the spring Dzdraws the slide radially outward, disengaging the pin I2 from the needle-heel and leaving the slide free to pass onward with the cam-cylinder. As the slide passes over the needle-heel, the latteris depressed until .finally it reaches the ledge S and becomes operative again. The heels of the remainder of the elevated and inoperative .needles pass above the now depressed widening-slide. The tappet of the second or following widening picking-slide gives or bends on its pivot as it passes stop R4 in this movement. In the return movementthe slide which followed before now leads, the action being similar to that just described, and so on. When theA widening has been completed, the rear half of the needles are depressed and circular knitting is resumed. n i

In Figs. 9 and 10 ofthe drawings I have shown narrowing and widening devices constructed and arranged in a manner which I deem preferable to that already described, because of the reduced number of parts and the greater simplicity and compactness of the construction. In the construction shown in the said figures the `four single-acting slides of the construction already described are replaced by two slides, which are double-acting-that is to say, these two slides are employed both to raise the needle successively out of operative position for the purpose of narrowing and to depress them successively into operative position for vth purpose of widening again. The two slides B4 B4 employed are placed in slots C6 C, formed in the cam-cylinder on opposite sides of the cams l, 2, 3, and 4 and diverging downwardly, as shown. The slides enter recesses in the ledge S, such as that shown at K in Fig. 2. They dilfer from the slides B B, hereinbefore Adescribed, only in being formed with nose portions at their upper ends arranged to project considerably above the idle-rest A when the said slides have been given the additional upward movement to be described, the slides B B when in their raisedposition only extend- Bof IOC

ing approximately to the level of the idle-rest.

The slides B4- B4 when raised to their highest position project to or slightly above the upper edge of the cam-cylinder in order to engage properly with the heels or hubs of the elevated needles for the purpose of depressing them into operative position again. The tappet-blocks E4 E4, carrying the pins T T, which pass' through the portions of the slides B4 B4,which project outside the cam-cylinder, are pivoted upon screws or studs G6 Gri and are acted upon by flat springs D4 D4, interposed between them and the outer surface of the cam-cylinder. Each tappet-block is provided with two tappets II6 and H7, projecting from opposite faces thereof, these tappets being adapted for engagement with yielding stops R6 R6 R4', detachably secured to the machinei bed by screws R7 R7. These stops may be like the stops shown in Fig. 8; but, as shown in Fig. 9, the stops R6 R6 Vare each made of a stripof steel spring bent upon itself. When a tappet is carried `against the free end of a stop R6 in a direction to compress the said free end against the remainder of the strip composing the stop, the stop acts as arigid stop to occasion the turning of the tappetblock upon its pivot; but when the tappet is carried against the free end of this stop in the opposite direction, the said free end yields, and the tappet-block is not turned on its pivot. The stop R9 is a hinged stop like the stop R4 of Fig. l and is unyielding in either direction.

Studs or pins TBT9 project from the outer `surface of the cam-cylinder above the tappet-blocks E4 E4 within the path of movement of the arms T6 T6 and adjacent to the slots C6 C6. The said arms may be placed by hand on the one side or the other of the said pins or studs, they being formed of spring material to enable them to be bent outward in order to permit them to be carried past the pins or studs from one side to the other. By their position relatively to the studs or pins they determine Whether the slides shall operate to narrow or to widen. Thus for the narrowing the stop R9 is thrown outward and the arms are placed below the studs or pins, as shown in Fig. 9. The arms are then permitted to move upward only until they strike the pins, and thereby the slides are permitted to move upward from their depressed position only until their pins enter the notches or depressions in the interior surface of the cam-cylinder, and thereby also the outer tappets H7 HT are maintained in position for engagement with the stops 'R6 R6.

' In narrowing, assuming that the cam-cylinder moves the same directionas the hands of a watch, the tappet H7 of the leading picking-slide strikes the right-hand stop R6, which acts to turn the arm T6 and throw the picking-slide down into the recess formed in the ledge S. The said picking-slide acts in connection with the irst needle-heel precisely in the same manner as one of the single-acting needle-elevating slides, and is itself moved upward until the arm'T strikes the stud or pin T9 and the pins on the slide have entered the notches or depressions in the interior surface of the cam-cylinder. When the tappet H7 of the said slide reaches the left-hand stop, the latter gives or yields to permit its passage, and it yields also for the passage of the tappet H7 of the second. or following slide. In the return movement of the cam-cylinder the latter slide now leads, and its tappet is acted upon by the left-hand stop R6 to depress the slide, the latter then acting to raise a needle. Inasmuch as it is necessary to make a complete revolution of the cam-cylinder in-each direction in order to .-.bring the tappet of the pickin g-slide which is next to be brought into action into proper engagement with its stop after the movement is reversed, the tappet of the slide which leads in each movement, after passing a stop which yields for its passage, again strikes its own stop, and such slide is depressed; but as the said tappet passes the other stop in the reverse movement the slide is moved back into idleposition and until its operating-arm strikes the stoppin on the outside of the cam-cylinder. The .tappets H6 H6 are by preference set in upon the tappetblocks, so that they pass'to the inside vot the ends of the stops R(i R6 without engaging with the said stops. For the widening, the front stop R9 is thrown over into position for actionand the arms T6 T6 are lifted over to the upper Vside of the pins T9 T9. The tappets H7 Hinow are prevented'from descending low enough to engage with the front stop, which strikes against only the tappets H6 H6. The action during the widening is theA same as with the single-acting widening-slides,herein before described, the slides being raised alternately into position 'to cause the noses at their upper ends to engage the elevated needles, and the slides being depressed therewith to carry the same into operative position again. When the slides are raised during the widening, their pins pass to the upper side of the notches or depressions in the in terior surface of the cam-cylinder. One difference between the double-actingslides and the single-acting slides needs to be called to attention. In the case of the single-acting slides, the leading widening-slide in' each movement. of the cam-cylinder. is the operative'one and' acts to draw down a new` needle at the end of thecourse then being knit, such needle forming the end stitch in such course, and thereby producing the ordinary lock between the narrowed and thewidened portions ot the web. In the case ot the double-acting slides, the slide which follows the knitting-cams is the operative one in each movement, and it does rnot draw down a needle until after the cams have passed the same, such needle being the irst to knit in the succeeding course. This produces a peculiar appearance in the lock, which I designate a ribbed lock.

In Figs. S and 9 I have shown the tappets formed of flexible strips of spring metal, which are applied in such a manner to the tappet-blocks as to yield slightly when, as they are passing over the stops, the arms T6 come against the pins T9, but to remain rigid,

V or substantially so, when passing in the opposite direction over the stops. One of the tappets-namely, that marked HG-is made fast .to the tappet-block by being riveted or screwed thereto at one end, it resting against one side of the tappet-block for a portion of its length and its opposite end projecting sufficiently to engage the stops. The tappet marked H7 is set into a groove or slot eX- tending diagonally downward across the outer face of the tappet-block, its end projecting downward and outward, as shown. The spring-tappet thus constructed and applied could be substituted for the hinged tappets shown in Figs. l and 7, as the equivalents thereof. v

In order to provide for easily and quickly raising the needles at the rear halt of the machine, which are to remain inactive during the knitting of a heel or toe pouch or pocket, Ieinploy a cam L. (Shown in Fig. 2.) This cam has an inclined upper end, as shown, and is placed in a recess in the lower part of the cam-cylinder at one side ot the knitting-,cams adjacent to one of the picking-slides, its 'upper end passing up behind the web or plate which spans the opening for the adjacent picking-slide. It Vhas connected with yit a block M, playing in aslot M2 in the cam-cyl- IIO inder, and having projecting therefrom a pin P, as in Fig. 3, which may be taken hold of by theoperator of the machine to raise the cam,when desired. The block M maybe provided witha threaded stem M3, having placed upon it outside of the cam-cylinder a spring O and a wing-nut P, and by turning up the nut the spring may be compressed against slides or the double-acting slides.

the outer surface of the cam-cylinder with sufficient force to hold the cam L in an elevated position. This cam may be employed in connection with either t-he single-acting In either case, when it is desired to begin the formation of a heel or toe pouch, the cam-cylinder is stopped at a point which needleelevating or bridging cam in position to be lifted for the purpose of throwing the rear half of the needles up into inoperative position, (one-half, more or less, as desired, of such needles being raised.) The said cam is lifted and the cam-cylinder is then moved one-half of a revolution in the direction opposite to the direction of revolution of the hands of a watch until the knitting-cams have cleared the front half of the needles, thus placing the said cams and the thread carrier or guide at the rear of machine and directly back of the needles which have been raised by the bridging or elevating cam in this move` ment. The cam L when raised bridges the space between the ledge S and the lower end of the adjacent picking-slide, which at this time is raised to an idle position and has the pins thereof resting in the notches or depressions formed in the interior surface of the cam-cylinder. In the described movement of the cam-cylinder the rear needles pass upward over the upper surface of the cam L, and then onto the upper surface of the picking-slide, which latter surface now acts as a cam-surface to cause the needle- 4heels to rise above the needle-actuating or knitting cams to the inoperative level or into position to strike against the adjacent beveled end of the top cam and be raised thereby to the inoperative level. The said cam L is depressed after it has raised the requisite number of needles and the latter have passed therefrom and over the picking-slide to the idle-level, and then the reciprocating movement of the cam-cylinder for heel or toe knitting is begun bya backward movement of the cam-cylinder sufficient to carry the latter a full revolution around the needle-cylinder. Any needles which may have been partly raised by cam L in excess of the proper number may be pushed down by hand.

I have described the needle-heels as engaging pins upon the slides, which pins also are depended upon in part for determining the radial position of the slides.. Icontemplate,-however, -providing the slides other- Wise with locking or engaging projections which shall be the equivalents of the said pins so far as their co-operation with the needleheels is concerned. So, also, I `may replace shall place the the pins and notches, or the said pins and notches and the springs D D2, by other devices serving as equivalents for determining and occasioning the radial action of the picking-slides. j

I have herein shown my invention applied to a circular-knitting machine, and have described it with special reference to its application to a machine of this class. lVith suitable mechanical changes the invention may be applied to knittingmachines in which the needle-carrier `is a straight needle-bed and the cam-carrier is a slide which reciprocates over the needle-bed. By my claims therefore I contemplate covering the employment of the features ofy the invention, so far as they may be found suitable, in connection with either class of machine.

Having now described my invention, and the best modes in which I have contemplated reducing the same to practice, I claim as my invention- 1.V The combination, with the cam-carrier of a knitting-machine, of a needle-picking slide having an engaging or lorckingportion for action in connection with a projecting heel or hub on a knitting-needle, and also having means for imparting a lateral movement thereto when moved upon the cam-carrier by contact with a needle-heel to disengage the engaging or locking portion from the needleheel, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the cam-carrier of a knitting-machine, of a needle-picking slide having an engaging or locking portion for action in connection with a projecting heel or hub on a knitting-needle, and also having means for imparting a lateral movement thereto when moved upon the camcarrier by contact with a needle-heel to disengage the engaging or locking portion from the needle-heel, and a surface for guiding the needle-heel into the desired position after being thus disengaged, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the cam-carrier of a knitting-machine having a diagonal or inclined slot formed therein, of a needle- IIO pickingslide in such slot having an engaging or locking portion for action in connection with a projecting heel or hub on a knittingneedle, and also having means for imparting a lateral movement thereto when moved along the slot by contact with a needle-heel to disengage the locking or engaging portion from the needle-heel, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the cam-carrier of a knitting-machine having an inclined slot formed therein, of a needle-picking slide in such slot having an engaging or locking portion .for action in connection with a projecting heel or 'hub on a knitting-needle, and also having means for imparting a lateral movementthereto when moved along the slot by contact with a needle-heel to disengage the engaging or locking portion from the needleheel, and a surface for guiding the needleheel into the desired position after being thus disengaged, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the cam-carrier of a knitting-machine and the knitting-cams, of needle-picking slides on opposite sides of said cams, each slide having an engaging or locking portion for action in connection with a projecting heel or hub on a knitting-needle', and also having means for imparting a lateral movement thereto when moved upon the camcarrier by contact with a needle-heel to disengage the engaging or locking portion from the needle-heel, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the cam-carrier of a knitting-machine and the knitting-cams, of needle-picking slideson opposite sides of the said cams, each slide having an engaging or locking portion for action in connection With a projecting heel or hub on a knittingneedle, and also having means 'for imparting lateral movement thereto when moved upon the cam-carrier by contact with a needle-heel to disengage the engaging or locking portion from the needle-heel, and a surface for guiding the needle-heel into the d'esired position after being thus disengaged, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the cam-carrier of a knitting-machine and the knitting-cams, the said cam-carrier having a diagonal or inclined slot therein on each side of the cams, of needle-picking slides on opposite sides of the said cams in said slots, each slide having an engaging or locking portion for action in connection with a projecting heel or hub on a knitting-needle, and also having means for impart-ing a lateral movement thereto When moved along its slot by contact with a needleheel to disengage the engaging or locking portion from the needle-heel, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the cam-carrie'i` of a knitting-machine and the knitting-cams, the said cam-carrier having a diagonal or an inclined slot on each side of said cams, of needie-picking slides on opposite sides of the said cams in said slots, each slide having an engaging or locking portion for action in connection With a projecting heel or hub on a knitting-needle, and also having means for imparting a lateral movement thereto When moved along its slot by contact with a needie-heel to disengage the engaging or locking portion from the needle-heel, and a surface for guiding the needle-heel into the desired position after being thus disengaged, substantially as described.

9. The combination, With the cam-carrier of a knitting-machine having an inclined slot formed therein, of a needle-picking slide in such slot having an engaging` or locking portion for act-ion in connection With a project- Ying heel or hub on a knitting-needle, and also having means for imparting lateral movement thereto when moved along the slot by contact with a needle-heelto disengage the locking or engaging portion from the needleheel, an arm in operative connection with the picking-slide,.and a stop on the machine-bed for turning the same and moving the slide into position for engagement with a needle, substantially as described.

l0. The combination, with the cam-carrier of a knitting-machine having a diagonal or inclined slot formed therein, of a needle-picking slide in such slot having an engaging or locking portion for action in connection with a projecting heel or hub on a knitting-needle, and also having means for imparting a lateral movement thereto when moved along the slot by contact with a needle-heel to disengage the engaging or locking portion from the needle-heel, a surface for guiding the needle-heel into the desired position after being thus disengaged, an arm in operative connection with the picking-slide, and a stop on the machine-bed for turning said arm and moving the slide into position for engagement with a needle, substantially as described.

1l. The combination, With a cam-carrier having a diagonal or inclined slot and notches or depressions on its inner surface adjacent to such slot, of a needle-picking slide in such slot having pins bearing on the inner surface of the cam-carrier and adapted to pass into the notches or depressions, an arm in operative connection with the slide, and a spring bearing against the arm and tending to draW the slide through the cam-carrier, substantially as described.

l2. The combination, with a cam-carrier .having a diagonal or inclined slot and notch es or depressions on its inner surface adjacent to such slot, of a needle-picking slide in such slot having pins bearing on the inner surface of the cam-carrier and adapted to pass into the notches 0r depressions, an arm in operative connection with the slide, a spring bearing against the arm and tending to draw the slide through the cam-carrier, and a stop on the machine-bed for turning said arm and moving the slide into position for engagement with a needle, substantially as described.

13. The combination, With a cam-carrier and the knitting-cams carried thereby, the said carrier having a diagonal or inclined slot therein on each side of the cams, and notches or depressions on its inner surface adjacent to such slots, of a needle-picking slide in each slot having pins bearing on the inner surface of the cam-carrier and adapted to pass into IOC the notches or depressions, an arm in operai therein on each side of the cams, and notches or depressions on its inner surface adjacent or depressions on its inner to such slots, of a needle-picking slide in each slot having pins bearing on the inner surface of the cam-carrier and adapted to pass into the notches or depressions, an arm in oper tive connection with each slide and provided with a tappet made yielding in one direction, a spring bearing against the arm and tending to draw the slide through the cam-carrier, and stops on the machine-bed forengaging with the said tappets to turn the arms and move the slides into position for engagement with the needles, substantially as described.

15. The combination, with a cam-carrier and the knitting-cams connected therewith, the said carrier having an inclined or diagonal slot therein on each side of the cams, and notches or depressions on its inner surface adjacent to such slots, of a needle-picking slide in each slot having pins bearing on the inner surface of the cam-carrier and adapted to pass into the notches or depressions, an arm -in operative connection with each slide and provided with a tappet made yielding in one direction, a spring bearing against the arm and tending to draw the slide through the cam-carrier, and stops on the machinebed each made yielding in one direction and engaging with the said tappets to turn the arms and move the slides into position for engagement with the needles, substantially as described.

16. The combination, with the cam-carrier and the knitting-cams carried thereby, the said cam-carrier having a diagonal or inclined slot therein on each side of the cams, notches surface adjacent to said slots, and pins or projections on its outer surface, also adjacent to such slots, of a needle-picking slide in each slot having pins bearing on the inner surface of the cam-carrier and adapted to pass into the notches or depressions, an arm in operative connection with each slide and provided with two tappets, a spring bearing against the arm and tending to draw the slide through the camcarrier, and stops on the machine-bed for engagement with the needles, the arms being fitted-to be shifted to one side or the otherof lthe pins or projections on -the cam-carrier,

substantially as described.

17. The combination,with a cam-carrier and the knitting-cams carried thereby, the said carrier having a diagonal or inclined slot therein on each side of the cams, notches or depressions on its inner surface adjacent to such slots, and pins or projections on its outer surface, also adjacent to such slots, of a needle-picking slide in each slot having pins bearing on the inner surface of the cam-car rier and adapted to pass into the notches or depressions, an arm in operative connection with each slide and provided with two tappets each made yielding in one direction, a spring bearing against the arm and tending to draw the slide through the cam-carrier, and

stops on the machine-bed each made yieldingy in one direction for engagement with the tappets to turn the arms and move the slides into position for engagement with the needles, the arms being fitted to be shifted to one side or the other of the pins or projections on the the cam-carrier, substantially as'described.

18. The combination, with a camcarrier having a ledge S and the knitting-cams, of a picking-slide B at one side of the said cams and adapted to rise entirely above the ledge, and a needle-elevating cam adapted to be raised and lowered and when raised to bridge the space between the ledge and the lower end of the picking-slide in its raised position, whereby the needles may be caused to pass from the ledge and along the upper surfaces of the cam and slide, respectively, and thereby be raised into inoperative position, substantially as described.

f HENRY s. LONG; Witnesses:

WM. I-I RYAN, EDW. E. CULLEN. 

